1 What inspired you to write Tides 'The Treasure of Tay'?
Well the truth is I've been writing since I've been able
to hold onto a pencil but up until the last decade or so I hadn't really
stretched myself past penning poems and short stories. Then about four
years ago I got this urge to write something with more depth, something
that could have the potential to become epic. The subject matter came
easy for me. Fantasy has always been my favorite genre and I've wished I
were a mermaid since I was knee high to an elephant's eye...spending my
summers more under the water than above it...so the series came forth.
2 If you could spend the day with one of your Tides' characters, who would it be?
Good question...I would have to say my primary villain,
Addison. Although on the surface she seems to have only one goal in mind
as the stories progress readers will find she's much more than just the
Queen of the Sirens. She's quick witted and sharp as they come,
inherently evil but possesses a charm that I can only hope draws the
reader in...as is the sirens nature to do.
3 How did you approach worldbuilding, when you drafted "Tides"?
Each book in the series takes place at specific locations;
places that are well-known geographically. I did a lot of research
learning as much as I could about these areas in hopes to transport the
reader alongside the characters. But there are the world's not known to
man, kingdoms and coves that were created specifically for the realm of
the Mers. For these I researched names and their meanings in order
to define what those areas would represent. I wanted those places to
enchant the reader and further submerge them into the story.
4 How did you pick the locations for your series?
Aside from them each being unique and gorgeous locations
(Scotland, the Great Barrier Reef, Bimini and the Aegean Sea) I wanted
to sail the reader into areas filled with rich history. Each has it's
own distinctive lore when it comes to merpeople or features that have
worked well in the development of the storyline. For instance, Scotland
boasts the beginnings of much of the lore we associate mermaids and
their companions with today while the GBR is overflowing with life forms
contributing its magnificent design to the story. The southern shores
of Bimini were once thought to be the place of the fabled 'Fountain of
Youth'...what better place for a clique of sirens to gather? And the
warm waters of the Aegean will reveal countless caves and undersea
waterfalls for the characters to explore.
5 Can you share with us your elevator pitch for "Tides"?
Tides is a four-part aquatic adventure in which several
youths find that they are the heirs to an unfathomable mystery.
Journeying into the deep, they'll uncover a world once forgotten where
mers and men once swam synchronized among the waves. But there are those
who seek a claim in their expedition, hiding in the shadows and waiting
to strike. A treacherous battle begins, who in which to the victor goes
the control of the tides.
6 If you could invite four authors, dead or alive, to dinner, who would they be?
The first on my list would have to be Beverly Cleary. Although her
works are geared more for the under ten crowd they were the foundations I
used as a child to build upon and where my love for reading truly
began. Charles Dickens is a close and classic second choice. Aside from
him being one of the greatest authors of the Victorian era he penned the
first full-length novel I can ever remember reading...A Tale of Two Cities. Not long after I gobbled up David Copperfield, Great Expectations and of course, A Christmas Carol. Jean
M. Auel to not only discuss the works she's done...which I enjoy...but
also to learn of the lengths she's put herself through in order to
research and stay true to her plot and characters. Lastly I'd have to
include Nora Roberts. My twenties were obscenely devoted to the stories
she seems to effortlessly produce (although all authors know there is
nothing effortless about such things).
Author Bio:
H.M Alder grew up within several towns along the coast of Lake Ontario in upstate New York. A
penname, H.M. are the initials of her first and middle name, Heather Michelle, while Alder is derived
from an old family name Olszewski meaning “Place of Alder Trees”.
Currently H.M. Alder is working steadily on completing the remaining volumes in the Tides series. She
lives with her family in rural Nevada but enjoys trips to the ocean visiting places she once lived during
her early 20’s and where her love for the sea began.
You can find HM Alder,
Twitter @TidesBook
website www.tidesbook.Com
This is wonderful!! Thanks so much for having me!
ReplyDeleteThank you, for letting me host you and the Tides on my blog!
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